My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

she could even offer some to anyone, a group of children was surrounding her and staring eagerly at the

cake is so

making a ‘wait’ motion with her hand, she lifted a knife and a paper plate,

stopped her and pulled some candles out of a box to the side. “Today

that, the head of the group, which happened to be a little girl

the

must close her eyes and make a

Rachel must blow out the

indicate to Julian that there was

still lit the candles and had the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of young voices would have a healing effect on

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

to say it in your heart and not out loud, or the wish won’t

found a little girl who wasn’t even at table height yet looking up at her with pretty,

under the gazes of the children, clasped her hands and made a wish. After that,

to say thank you!” their parents instructed,

each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in the community suddenly seemed closer and the

Rachel finally smiled

with me.” Walking her back to her apartment building, Julian continued, “The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don’t need to worry

Don’t worry about me. I never wanted it, anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that point, Rachel’s expression

“Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting

turned and headed toward

she was inside her apartment and

the door was propped

her, his darkened face made all the more grotesque by the centipede-like scar on it. Suddenly,

out on business? she

sideways into the house and shut the

“I see you’ve been getting along

two steps back.

resentfully, he stalked toward her as he pulled off his necktie and threw it

unmelting icebergs as he sneered, “I suppose you wouldn’t want me to ruin your

he approached her, forcing

idea what she did

pulled, she staggered after him and was dragged all the way